GONE DIGITAL

in Camera is expanding to digital photography. After years of thinking about taking up digital photography, I finally decided to take the plunge - bought myself a Lumix FZ18. This little gem is an ideal fit for amateurs - affordable and has the features of a higher end camera. With a lens by the legendary Leica brand, it offers an optical equivalent of a 28-504 mm zoom that lets you stretch from table top to wildlife photography.

Of course there is the convenience of the digital tech -- the above photograph of a few samples from my vintage camera collection was taken just a few minutes back and I am now posting them here. No more waiting for the film to be processed and scanned, not to speak of the expense involved.

On the cameras in the pic above -

from left: Linhoff Technika, Graflex and Mamiya Universal. These names too were legends in their own time. These types of cameras were known as Press Cameras because they were popular with the journalists. This was before the 35mm versions came into being and despite their size these press cameras were more portable than the earlier versions.

But I think I will continue to use my film cameras also, after these last few days of experimenting with the FZ18, I do not think I can give up the fun of film photography... at least occasionally.

That Mamiya Universal brings back a fun memory.

As you can see, these cameras are massive and produce negatives 6cmX9cm on 120mm film. I had taken the MU to Mahabalipuram a few years back. At the shore temple, where only still cameras are allowed and you need to take advance permission before using movie cameras, the security guard could not believe that the Mamiya was only a still camera. It took some minutes of intense explaining, cajoling and downright begging before he would let me use it. That too, he followed me around to ensure that I was taking only `stills.'

Some of the pics I have posted in the Mahabalipuram collection were taken with the Mamiya. I think I have mentioned it there.